


Lost and Found

by VanillaGiddyup



Category: Fire Emblem, Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Kakusei | Fire Emblem: Awakening
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-16
Updated: 2018-10-16
Packaged: 2019-08-03 06:12:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 13,563
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16320644
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VanillaGiddyup/pseuds/VanillaGiddyup
Summary: The woman Robin loved sacrificed herself for a nation.  In his grief he threw himself into the arms of another.  So what happens when the woman he loved turns up alive?





	1. Prologue

Robin stood behind Chrom in his assigned position as the best man. He was happy for them, really. How could he not be? Chrom was his best friend, and Sumia looked radiant in her dress. He knew he had to get to know her better now, and he was sure he would. He was happy for them.

So why wasn't he happy?

Well okay, he knew the reason.

"...gathered together today to join this man and this woman in the bonds of holy marriage before the gods," said the minister as Robin came back to himself. He shifted his weight a little and glanced at Cordelia in her position as the maid of honor as the man continued to speak. Despite her smile, he knew she was unhappy about today for her own reasons. Her feelings for the groom were well known to Robin. He didn't know how many other people knew, but he did. Seeing her best friend marry the man she loved probably tore her up inside.

He wondered briefly if he should ask her to spend the evening together after the banquet. She probably needed company, and he definitely needed company. Why not? She was single. She was beautiful. They got along well enough. It might be worth his time to talk to her and see how things proceeded. He thought he would.

With that course of action decided, he refocused on the couple. He really was happy for them. He knew they were perfect for each other. She helped keep his head on straight, and he helped her keep her feet on the ground. Sumia, he knew, worried about herself a lot. She tended towards clumsiness and it made her insecure. Chrom had taken a long time to figure out her feelings, but now that he had, Robin knew, he would always make her feel like the most important woman in the world.

"...Take this woman to be your wife? To love, respect, honor, and cherish, so long as you are given the gift of life?"

"I do," said Chrom. His back was to Robin, but Robin could see that he only had eyes for her. She was his world. It made Robin's heart ache. He wasn't jealous. That wasn't it. He'd never had any romantic inclination towards Sumia. But still his heart ached at the words. Words he knew he'd never be able to speak.

"...so long as you are given the gift of life?" said the minister.

"I do," said Sumia. Again, a stab of pain. He'd never hear a woman say that to him. He would be alone. Of course he had friends, but it wasn't the same. He'd never share his life with someone. Never fall asleep in the arms of the woman he loved. Never know what it was like to see the birth of his child. Never know what it was like to build a life together.

Because the woman he loved was dead.

"...what Naga has joined, let no man put asunder. You may kiss your bride." Chrom did as he was instructed and a cheer went up from the massive crowd in the courtyard of Castle Ylisstol. Everyone was thrilled to see their newly-crowned Exalt be married to his new queen.

Robin saw that the two women in front of him were crying. Sumia's were obviously tears of joy. Cordelia's were obviously not, although Robin was sure he was the only one who could tell from here. No one else was close enough to see the pain in her gaze. Well, Chrom was, but he wouldn't notice. Cordelia's eyes met Robin's and he tried to force a smile. She gave him a half of one in return. It was good enough.

Chrom offered an arm to Sumia, which she took. They began to walk down the aisle and, as prescribed, Robin followed a few steps later. He offered his arm to Cordelia. She took it and they were right behind the newlyweds. Cordelia had forced herself to look more calm, but Robin could feel her arm trembling a little.

They reached the waiting cart. Robin helped Cordelia into it and sat next to her. Fortunately for him, the two others were too wrapped up in each others' gazes to bother looking their way. He turned to Cordelia who, he saw, was staring at him. He imagined it was to take her mind off what was going on opposite them.

The cart took only a few minutes to reach the city's main square, which was where the celebratory banquet was to be held. It was an extremely uncomfortable few minutes for two of the four people in the cart, which the other two failed to notice. Robin couldn't blame them for being absorbed in their business, but that didn't make it any less painful.

Once the cart stopped Chrom led Sumia out and Robin stepped down and offered Cordelia his hand to help her down. He wasn't sure if she was accepting because it was protocol or because she really needed the help, but she took his hand and they followed the others to the head table. The whole city had been invited to join the feast and they would be arriving soon. The wait staff were hard at work making sure there was enough food and drink to feed the hundreds of people who were expected.

Some of the Shepherds began to trickle in one-by-one. Lissa here, Frederick there, Maribelle with a pair of attendants, and so on. They had each been given seats at some of the closer tables as friends and family of the bride and groom, so they sat near the wedding party and began to talk among themselves. Occasionally someone would look Robin's way and wave or smile, which he always returned. He forced himself to ignore Chrom and Sumia as they chatted. He didn't look at Cordelia again. He couldn't. One way or another, he couldn't get his hopes up.

The woman he loved was dead.

As the crowd formed and were seated and the food staff began to scramble to make sure everything was ready, Robin allowed himself to become lost in thought. It was a vastly superior experience to trying to focus on the cacophony around him.

* * *

" _Sir Robin! May I speak to you for a moment?"_

" _Oh, you don't have to call me...just Robin is fine, really."_

" _Please, after all you've done for us—for me—I must insist."_

" _As you wish, milady. What did you want to speak to me about?"_

" _I wished to ask you if there is anything I can do for you as thanks for saving my life. I know that I may not be able to grant you anything while I'm sequestered in the palace, but when you return, maybe?"_

" _Oh! Well I think Chrom had more to do with saving your life than I did, honestly."_

" _I know Chrom trusts you with his life and I know you plan his battles. You deserve as much thanks as he does."_

" _Well...if you insist..."_

" _I do, Sir Robin. I'm afraid that, as the Exalt, I simply must."_

" _In that case..."_ Robin remembered how red his face had gotten. He would always remember how red his face had gotten. _"In that case...would you do me the highest honor of sharing a private dinner with me? Once we've returned, I mean."_ She had giggled. It made her seem so much more grounded than her usual lofty air. It made her seem like...like an ordinary woman.

" _I believe the honor would be mine, Sir Robin. I will pray every day that Naga keeps you safe."_

" _Thank you, milady. Sleep well."_

Robin often wondered if he should have prayed to Naga for her safety. Maybe it would have worked. Maybe she would still be alive.

Maybe he wouldn't have failed her.

* * *

"...still with us?" Robin was jolted out of his fantasy by a concerned-looking Chrom.

"Huh? Oh...sorry. Got lost in thought."

"Of all the times," he said. "Come on Robin, the feast is about to begin!"

"R-right. Sorry." Robin stood up to join them and stole a glance at Cordelia. She had stopped crying, but he could still see the distress on her face. It was subtle, but it was there.

The four of them rose to greet everyone who had gathered and Chrom started making a speech that Robin didn't pay any attention to. He was sure it was just a word of thanks to everyone and something about how honored Chrom was to be their exalt and so on, so Robin thought he didn't even need to pay attention. The only think he did listen to was Chrom finishing the speech.

"And so I say, let the feast begin!" A cheer went up from the crowd as the four of them returned to their seats. Attendants arrived shortly after with their food and they all began to eat. The attendants began to serve the crowd and they started to talk among themselves, which meant that Robin had an excuse to act like he couldn't hear anything.

Once Chrom and Sumia were finished eating they rose, said their goodbyes to Robin and Cordelia, and left to begin traveling to the other tables to greet the guests. Once they were gone Robin shifted two seats over to sit next to Cordelia. She was idly picking at her food without really eating it.

"Hey," said Robin, "want some company?" She shrugged.

"I don't know. Maybe. I'm having very mixed feelings right now."

"I know what you mean," he said. "Wait here." He got up and walked over to the table that had the drinks. Several attendants were working at it, but they recognized him and let him be. There wasn't a long line yet, so he was able to reach the table in a moment. He took two glasses and, on a whim, two bottles of wine. He allowed an attendant to uncork them, resealed one, and took all four items back to the table. He sat down, placed a glass in front of himself and a glass in front of Cordelia, put down the sealed bottle, and poured them each some wine from the open bottle. She took her glass, swirled it around, and took a sip.

"Thank you," she said. "I...think I needed this."

"Believe me," he said as he took a sip from his own glass. The wine was dry, but not unpleasant. "I did too."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. I have some idea of what you're going through right now." She downed her entire glass in one gulp then held it out to him. He refilled it.

"Do you? Wait, does that mean you know about—" he held up a hand to stop her before she voiced the feelings he knew she didn't want to admit.

"I do. I figured it out a while ago. I don't know if anyone else has, but being perceptive is my job."

"Then you understand why I'm so conflicted. She's...she's my best friend. I should be happy for her, but..." her voice trailed off and she punctuated her words with another drink.

"I know. Like I said, I know what it's like to not be able to be with the person you love." She looked at him quizzically.

"What, don't tell me you're in love with Sumia," she said. He smiled wistfully and shook his head, then took a larger sip of wine.

"No, nothing like that. I don't know Sumia well enough for that, and even then I could always see how she swooned over him. No, the woman I love is..." He shook his head, fell silent, then drank the rest of his glass. Then he poured some more and drank that.

"I'm sorry," said Cordelia. She had obviously puzzled out where he was going.

"Yeah. I'm happy for them, but I had to stand there and see my best friend get something I know I'll never have." She put a hand on his.

"Was it...someone I knew?" He gave a bitter laugh.

"I'd wager the whole country knew her," he said. She looked over at him and her eyes went wide.

"Do you mean who I...think you do?" He nodded.

"Probably." He downed the rest of his glass, poured out some more, then offered her the bottle. She poured herself another glass and began to drink from it. Each of them was starting to feel the effects of the alcohol.

"Robin...I'm sorry." He shrugged.

"Now you know why I know how you feel. And please don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to say that your pain isn't as bad as mine. I know you must be feeling awful." She patted his hand and he found himself placing his own on top of hers.

"That's true, but I appreciate that you're here. It means a lot to me." Her cheeks were a little pink, so he thought it was time to be bold.

"Listen," he said. His nerves started to get the better of him, so he finished his wine for courage. "When this party is over, do you want to...bring this other bottle back to my chambers in the castle? Maybe...see how the evening goes?" Her face turned as deep a crimson as her hair.

"You know, I think I would," she said. "I think I...could use some company tonight." He forced himself to smile, which she returned.

"Then I'll see you after the party." She nodded and they finished the rest of the bottle in silence.

The banquet lasted most of the afternoon. Robin stood up when it was time and gave his prepared speech. It was difficult for him to get through, but he did it. Everyone toasted and clapped and seemed happy with it. Cordelia was more composed. Robin hoped it was because of their conversation. After her speech the two of them got separated as they made their respective ways around the city square. Robin didn't mind though, since he knew she would be waiting for him when it was time to leave.

He started to get nervous as the day wore on. He forced himself to be calm. She had already agreed. She wanted this. He wanted this. He was attracted to her, and she was clearly attracted to him or she wouldn't have said yes. Even if she only wanted someone to warm her bed for the night, she would have told him no if she didn't want it. Cordelia was a forthright person.

At the end of the afternoon the crowd began to disperse. Once it had grown small enough, Robin finally bade farewell to Chrom and Sumia, then the other Shepherds. He made the excuse that he had gotten worn out from the day's events and wished the couple well before they left for their honeymoon. He was happy for them. Really. He trudged back to the castle. It took him a while since his pace was unhurried and by the time he reached the gates it was almost night.

Cordelia was waiting for him. He had noticed her make her exit earlier than he had. He had wanted to follow, but there were too many people to meet and greet. He felt his heart start to race. She smiled at him and he felt his heart race faster.

"I forgot to tell you before," he said, "but you look beautiful in that dress." She looked beautiful all the time, but her dress was sleeveless and a bright shade of pink that he thought matched her hair well. Her face flushed.

"Oh! Well...thank you," she said. She offered him her hand, which he took as they began to walk to the castle. "Are you sure about this?"

"Yes," he said. "Look, I'm not going to pretend that I'm proposing marriage or anything, but I'd...rather not spend the night alone." She leaned into him a little.

"I think I agree," she said. "I can't promise that this will lead to anything. Maybe it will, maybe it won't. Maybe it shouldn't. But...I agree. I need the company." They walked to the castle in silence then made their way to Robin's room. It was one of the larger rooms as befitting his station as Chrom's adviser and strategist. He kept it clean and well-furnished and it even...had a bed big enough for two. He opened the second bottle of wine and went to offer it to her, then came to a realization.

"I...forgot to bring cups," he said, a little embarrassed. She took the bottle from his hand and took a swig, then handed it back to him.

"I don't need one if you don't," she said. He downed a swig of the wine. It tasted better than the first bottle had, but maybe that was because he had already drunk half a bottle by now.

"Me neither," he said. He offered it to her. She took it and drank. She sat down on the bed. He sat with her.

"I should be happy," she said. Her voice was becoming uneven as the wine took effect. "She's my best friend. I should be happy for her. I am happy for her, I think. But I...I think there's a part of me that...resents her." Robin, emboldened by the alcohol, reached out and patted her hand.

"She married the man you love. I understand." She shook her head and took another swig of wine.

"Am I a bad friend? Am I a bad person? If there's any day I should be happy it's her wedding. I feel like I've known her forever. I should be thrilled. But when I looked at her...Robin, I felt like I hated her." Robin knew that it was only the wine that let him see this side of her. No one else got to see anything but the diligent, hardworking, perfect knight. No one but him. He reached over and turned her face to his.

"You're allowed to be conflicted," he said. "I don't think it makes you a bad person. I think it makes you human."

"But you're conflicted too, and you didn't hate Chrom." He scoffed.

"Didn't I?" He took the bottle from her and drank some of it. "I think I may have. He gets everything. He gets the crown, he gets the girl, and he gets a happy life. I get to watch and try to be happy when I know that I'll never have that." She leaned against his shoulder.

"I don't know about never. You're a good man. I'm sure any woman would be happy to have you."

"You're one of the finest women I know," he said. "And if you really searched I'm sure you'd find a man worthy of you. But tell me: do you want to?" She took back the bottle and drank some of it.

"No. No, dammit, I don't. I love him. I can't just stop loving him."

"So you understand what I mean," he said. "I only have what, a year's worth of memories? I met her after a day and fell in love after a few minutes. I loved her for essentially my entire life. I don't want to love anyone else." She hugged him from the side. He felt the glass of the bottle against his far arm as her body pressed against him.

"I never knew. I wish you had told me."

"It's not like you and I are close confidants or anything. This isn't the kind of thing I admit. Even Chrom doesn't know. I'm just drunk and rambling." For emphasis he took the bottle and drank. There wasn't much left in it.

"Well I'm glad you trusted me. You're always so private."

"I'm lonely and don't like to let people see weakness."

"Me too." She let go of him and he gave her the rest of the bottle.

"Then...you want to stay the night?" She got up. For a second he was worried she was going to leave, but all she did was walk over to one of his desks and put the bottle down on it. Then she turned around and started back towards him. He stood up as she approached.

"Yes," she said.

"You're sure? I don't want you to think I'm trying to take advantage of—mmph!" his words were cut off as she threw her arms around him and kissed him.

"You're not," she said, "I want this." She rested her head on his shoulder. "I...know you're not...what I mean is that...I've always admired you, Robin. You're so dedicated and hard-working and talented and...you look great." He slipped his arms around her and pulled her in close.

"I should be saying that to you," he said. "I know all the things you do for us and how hard you work and how much you train." In a fit of daring he brought his hands up and pulled her dress down to her waist. She gasped, then smiled. He dropped his voice low. "And I...appreciate what it does for you." She kissed his neck.

"Even if it's just for tonight...I want you." He kissed her. It was a little more forceful than he intended, but she moaned and melted into it. So maybe she wasn't Emmeryn. But she didn't have to be. Not tonight. Tonight they were two lonely people who needed solace. Tomorrow he could resign himself to being alone forever. Tonight there was a beautiful woman in his arms who needed him as much as he needed her. Maybe he could never be with the woman he loved, but maybe that was okay.

At least for tonight.

* * *

The morning sun woke him up. He opened his eyes and saw that the sun was casting its light over the sleeping form of his companion. Her hair, which was much messier than usual, shone in the light of the breaking dawn. He caressed her cheek with the back of his hand and she shivered. He stole a glance down at her body. _Gods_ ,he thought, _she was gorgeous._ _And her skin was so soft. And she was so...vigorous._

She opened her eyes and smiled at him. He kissed her and she moaned with pleasure. She wrapped her arms around him and rested her head against his chest. He almost felt intoxicated again at the feeling of her body against his, but he kept his head.

"I...really needed that," she said. "Thank you."

"Would you believe it was my first time?" he said before kicking himself for saying something so stupid. She laughed gently.

"Mine too, believe it or not. It's fine. We figured ourselves out eventually." She ran a fingernail against his back. "You were amazing."

"Same to you," he said as he idly ran a hand through her hair. "Didn't realize how wound up I was."

"I think I have some idea now," she said. "We should do this again some time."

"Works for me." He brought her face up to his. "Listen...I know I'm not him, but maybe I don't have to be. We don't have to get serious. We get lonely, we get together. What do you think?" She kissed him on the cheek, then the lips.

"I think that I'd like to see more of this body of yours," she said as she traced a line down his chest. "Make sure you keep it in shape." He brought his hands down to her hips.

"I'd tell you the same, but I already know you will," he said as he moved his hand a few inches and gave her a pinch. He was rewarded with a surprised giggle. He continued. "You know, with the royals out of town, I don't have anything to do this morning." He got closer and dropped his voice to a whisper. "What do you say we take our time getting out of bed?"

Her only response was a smile.

* * *

**2 years later**

"So it's war then," said Chrom.

"It's war," said Robin. "If Walhart's numbers are what they're supposed to be, then we'll need help. Ylisse's army isn't nearly numerous enough."

"That leaves us with few enough options," said Chrom. "I say we ask the Khans first."

"I agree," said Robin. "Then, if need be, we can make our way to Plegia. A military alliance might even be a good way to mend relations between our countries."

"I pray you're right, but first we make for Regna Ferox. We'll leave first thing tomorrow. Pass the word along." Robin nodded and left the war room to spread the news. They were going to Valm. He didn't know if he'd ever been there, but Virion needed help.

It took him an hour or so to track everyone down. Once he was done he ate dinner and went to his room to brush up on strategy. From what Virion had said, he expected he would need the refresher. He pulled out some of his better strategy books and pored over them for the next few hours. He began to nod off a little, but forced himself to stay awake for the sake of preparedness.

In the back of his mind he registered the sound of his door opening. He didn't look that way as he was too wrapped up in the books. The only thing that broke his reverie was the feeling of a pair of arms around him and a kiss on the top of his head.

"I thought I'd find you here," said Cordelia. "How are you?"

"Exhausted," he said as he placed his hands on hers and leaned back against her chest. "You?"

"Nervous," she said. "I'm always prepared to fight, but that doesn't mean I have to like it."

"No one does," he said. He brought one of her hands up and kissed it. "Listen...this could be it. We have no idea what will happen in the future, but I know it's going to involve a lot of travel and not a lot of spare time." He let go of her and stood up, then turned to face her. "I doubt we'll have a lot of time to see each other again."

"Robin, are you trying to...break things off?" Her smile became a frown.

"No. Maybe. I don't know," he said. They weren't even officially together. They just occasionally spent the night together. Even so, he liked her. He liked being with her. His heart still ached, but he enjoyed their time together. "Mostly I'm just warning you. We won't have privacy. I doubt we'll have much chance to actually meet up. If that happens, I just don't want you to think I don't care about you. I do. But we always knew this couldn't last."

"So you are," she said. She sighed. "No, that's not fair. We're not even really a couple, no matter how much I enjoy our...alone time." She rested against his chest and he hugged her on reflex. "You're right. We always knew it had to be temporary. Still, thank you. You've done so much to help me move on. And you're...always such good company." He was a little surprised at how well she was handling the idea.

"You are too," he said. "You're a good friend, and I'd like you to stay that way, even if we're never anything beyond that." He almost wished they could be, but even now he could never give her his heart. It still belonged to a dead woman. She deserved a man who could give her all of himself.

"I'd be happy to," she said, "but not tonight. If tonight is the last night we have..." she let go of him and gave him a kiss, then produced a bottle of wine from a satchel she had brought in. "...let's make it a night to remember." He pulled her in and kissed her forcefully. So maybe they weren't ever going to get serious. So maybe he found it impossible to move on. None of that mattered while she was in his arms right now. They were still lonely people who could make each other happy.

At least for tonight.


	2. C

**6 months later**

Robin ran a hand through his hair, then slammed his fist onto the table in front of him. Over and over and over again he kept looking for an alternate way to move forward, but it didn't exist.

"Dammit. Dammit dammit." He heard movement behind him, but he didn't look up. He guessed who it was anyway.

"What's got you so frustrated?" asked Cordelia as she reached him. He heard her place something down next to her before she started massaging his shoulders. Despite himself, he groaned softly and leaned into it. "Gods, you're tense. Have you been like this all night?"

"Yeah," he said. "Sorry, I don't mean to ignore you. I'm trying to figure out a way to avoid fighting tomorrow, and it's not working."

"Do you want me to take a look and give you my opinion?"

"Sure, if you think you can see something I didn't." He paused. "Sorry, that was rude." She leaned down and kissed his cheek.

"I know what you meant. No offense taken." She leaned over him and looked over the maps he was studying. To his great relief she didn't stop massaging his shoulders as she did it. She didn't speak except the occasional 'hmm' or 'ah,' but he knew that her mind was working quickly.

"You're getting really good at this," he said with another groan of satisfaction. The tension in his muscles was melting away as she worked.

"Well there's a man I care about who tends to overwork himself, so I've had a lot of practice."

"You'll have to thank him for me," he said. "Since it's clearly done wonders for you."

"Alright then," she said. She stepped around him, took his face in her hands, and kissed him. "Robin says thank you." He put his arms around her, stood up, and pulled her into a hug as he kissed back.

"Tell him I said 'you're welcome,'" he said. Her response was nonverbal, but no less effective at conveying the intended message.

Once they were finished expressing their thanks, Robin sat back down. Cordelia sat on his lap purely, she insisted, so she could get a better view of the maps. Unfortunately for her, Robin didn't buy that explanation, so he decided to make himself a distraction by wrapping his arms around her, pushing her hair out of the way with his chin, and kissing her neck. Each time he did he got a little shudder in response, which was the intended effect. He knew her body and what he had to do to make her feel good.

"This isn't—heh—isn't helping me—haha—find anything," she said as he kept at it. She was clearly finding it rather easy to maintain her composure.

"You're the one who sat in my lap," he said, "so obviously you knew this would happen."

"I told you it was to get a better look at the maps," she said lightly. "Gods, can't you control yourself for a couple of minutes?"

"I'm all wound up and my favorite toy is in my lap. Why should I control myself?" he said. For emphasis his moved one hand up a few inches.

"Oh, I'm a toy now, am I? Is that all I am to you?"

"What, did you think I care about you as a person? I'm just using you for this incomparable body of yours." She turned around to face him and hugged his neck, then started kissing him.

"Joke's on you, mister," she said. "I don't even want you for your body. There's only one part of you that matters to me. Fortunately for you you're skilled with it." He started kissing her more aggressively. They would have kept going but after a few minutes she accidentally leaned too far forward and the chair fell backward, sending the both of them crashing to the ground.

"Gods, are you alright?" he said once he had untangled himself from her.

"I'm fine," she said. "What about you? Did you hit your head? Are you hurt?"

"No, I'm okay. But that did remind me that we were getting too distracted. We really do need to plan this." She sighed and offered him a hand up.

"You're right," she said. "I know you're right." She hugged him and rested her chin on his shoulder like she always did. "But it's been so long since we've been together. I miss you." He started stroking her hair.

"I miss you too," he said, "but we knew this would happen. It's a war. We can't get distracted."

"I know." She sighed. "I know. I know we keep saying that we're not supposed to get serious, but honestly...Robin, you make me so happy when you're with me. Did you know that I...look, I've never told anyone this before, not you, not even Sumia, but I..." she trailed off. He gave her a kiss for courage. Then another one for good measure. Then a third because he felt like it.

"Take your time," he said. "I know you're about to admit a weakness, and I know that's hard. Take your time."

"See, it's things like that. You always make me feel like I don't have to be perfect."

"You don't. Not with me." She fell silent while she worked up the courage.

"I've always...look, I'll just say it outright before I lose my nerve. Before you I was always insecure about how small my breasts are." She turned bright pink and hid her face against his shirt. He stroked her hair some more and kissed the top of her head.

"I've always thought that I'm not muscular enough. That I'm too focused on magic and books and not enough on my physical strength. That I should work harder to bulk up more," he said, "I never think that when I'm with you. I'm not saying that to compete, I'm saying it because I want you to know that I understand. It's nothing to be ashamed of. And as it happens, your chest, like the rest of you, is marvelous."

"You know," she said into his shirt. He imagined that she didn't want to show her face. "For two people who aren't supposed to get serious, we seem to act an awful lot like a real couple."

"What makes you say that?" he asked. "I'm just complimenting your body again." He wanted to ease the tension. It was clear enough that it had taken a great deal for her to admit to that particular insecurity. She laughed a little.

"I guess you're right," she said. "I guess you do only care about my figure." Her voice became more serious. "But really...thank you. It makes me...really happy to hear you say that." She paused. "...And in case you were wondering, I like your body just the way it is."

"Oh? I thought there was only one part of me you cared about," he said, then he also became more serious. "I'm happy that you're happy. But we really do need to look this over." She let go of him and picked the chair up off the ground. He sat in it while she pulled up a second chair and sat next to him.

"Don't we need to deal with this detachment of soldiers anyway?" she asked after a few minutes.

"We do, but I want to see if we can push our way to Walhart now instead of wearing ourselves out on his underlings. If we can then we might be able to get them to lay down their arms. I just can't see a way around them. The dynasts have armies to the west of them and there are mountains to the east that we just can't traverse. I want another way past, but I just can't find one." She hugged him from the side.

"Just relax," she said. "It's going to be okay. Even if we have to fight, you'll get us through it."

"Thank you," he said. "Having you here is such a blessing, you know."

"I'm glad. I'm happy to help you bear the weight of planning things."

"Now who's acting like we're a real couple?"

"Just a good friend," she said. "Probably my best friend at this point."

"I know what you mean," he said.

"You've certainly...seen more of me than anyone else." He laughed and kissed her.

"That's definitely true for me too," he said. She pointed to a spot on the map.

"What if we diverted south through Chon'sin and circled around to Walhart's capital by sea?" He leaned forward and examined the map.

"The problem is that I think Chon'sin might still be hostile to us, especially if we arrive with an army. I did think of it."

"Not even with Say'ri on our side? Isn't she the head of their rebels? She must have loyalists in the country somewhere."

"That's true, but I don't know if it would be enough. As long as there are citizens hostile to us then I don't know if we can safely cross through." She pondered something for a minute.

"Wait...we have the Voice with us now. Isn't she a holy figure in Chon'sin? She might be able to convince them to allow us passage."

"You know...that's not a bad idea," he said. "I talked to her earlier and I got the sense that she doesn't like being treated like a holy figure, but she might still be willing to help us in this situation. I didn't even think of that. Thank you."

"You're welcome," she said. She kissed his cheek. "That's why I'm here." She leaned in closer and spoke into his ear. "Well, that and because I want you to bend me over the table, but that can wait until another day." Robin laughed out loud.

"Ha! When you say it like that it makes me want to."

"Then do it," she said frankly. "I'm right here waiting."

"Can't," he said. "Need to save my energy for tomorrow." She pouted a little.

"Oh...fine. Can you at least do me one favor?"

"Hmm?"

"Can I still sleep in your tent? Even if we're not going to...I don't want to be alone tonight." Her forehead was the closest to him, so he kissed it, then gave her a hug.

"Head out now and I'll be five minutes behind you. Meet you there." She smiled and kissed his cheek again.

"See you," she said. He turned back to the maps and tried to estimate the time it would take to divert through Chon'sin. It would cost them at least an extra day, he knew, but it could ultimately save them time if they traveled by sea. He decided that it was the best idea. With that in mind he put the maps away and returned to his tent.

Cordelia was waiting for him as he had expected. He was a little disappointed, but not entirely surprised, to find that she was still dressed. Her bedroll was right next to his and she was already under the blanket. He pulled off his robes and his shirt, kicked off his shoes, pulled off his belt, and joined her.

"You can't be giving me a show like that when we're just staying next to each other," she said.

"Would you rather I sleep in my full clothes? That belt isn't comfortable."

"No, but if you'd told me ahead of time I would have taken off mine."

"That's what I'm worried about." She cuddled up next to him and he put his arms around her. He hadn't realized how much he'd missed having her next to him. Even if they weren't going to be together tonight, he decided that having her with him was comforting. She rested against his shoulder and idly kissed his neck. She probably could have kissed his cheek if she were so inclined, but both of them knew his neck was more sensitive and thus the preferable place.

As she continued that course he found it progressively more difficult to restrain himself. He knew they couldn't start this. If they started they would take all night and probably wake up the entire camp. One of the downsides of their frequent liaisons was that both of them knew how to make the other very happy, which for both of them meant a lot of noise. He ran a hand down along the curve of her body which had the opposite effect from the one he needed, but not from the one he wanted. She swung her leg over him and before they knew it she was on top of him. For a moment his concerns left his mind as their lips met. They needed this. It had been months. His body ached for her. Her body ached for him. They needed this.

A noise came from outside the tent. It was something irrelevant, probably the night guard on patrol, but it was enough to distract the both of them long enough for Robin to regain his rational mind. It seemed that the same thing had happened to her. She sighed and rested on top of him.

"Gods, you're right. This would leave us exhausted."

"I know," he said. He hugged her and started to kiss her hair and forehead. "I do miss being with you, but we'll need the energy tomorrow." She rolled off of him and cuddled next to him again.

"Tell me about Emmeryn," she said. He blinked and looked over at her.

"Are you serious?" They had never talked about his feelings for the deceased Exalt. He had always thought that if he talked about Emmeryn then Cordelia would realize their relationship wasn't really one and would want to stop getting together. But then, he reasoned, it wasn't a relationship. It was casual nights spent together, even if they were good friends. They were just good friends who occasionally made each other very, very happy.

"Yes. Hearing you talk about her will put me off since I know you love her. And besides that," she said as she ran a finger along his bare chest, "I'd like to hear about the woman who managed to capture your heart. She must have been something special."

"You're a knight, you must have met her."

"Oh, sure, I met her at official functions, but I want to hear about what she was like when no one was around." She shifted positions to get a little closer to him. "At least tell me how you met."

"If you're serious," he said.

"I am."

"Alright. Let me tell you how I met Emmeryn."

* * *

" _I don't know if I've ever been here before, but I have to say Ylisstol is a beautiful city."_

" _Isn't it? I love it here, but it makes Chrom get restless which is why he's always out and about trying to help people."_

" _I like to be out in the field, what can I say? There are always people in need."_ Robin was distracted from answering by shouts from the crowd that was gathered in the city square.

" _The Exalt! It's the Exalt!"_ He moved around a couple of people to get a better look at this Exalt, and that was when he saw her. Like Naga herself descended from on high to grace his vision. Two days of memory or not, he knew this was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. She walked with calm serenity even as the crowd grew more excited. No matter how loud the crowd became she maintained that peaceful expression. She was a goddess in human form. He was transfixed.

" _Th-that's your ruler?"_ His voice caught in his throat.

" _It is, and the finest ruler Ylisse could ask for. She's brought us an unprecedented age of peace."_

" _Yeah! And I couldn't ask for a better big sister!"_ His head snapped towards Lissa.

" _B-big...so you're…? Gods above, I'm so sorry. Please forgive my manners. I didn't realize the two of you were..."_

" _Oh please, Robin, don't you think I would've said something if I cared? Lighten up!"_

" _She's right, my friend. I don't stand on ceremony, so don't worry about it. Now, follow me. I'd like you to meet my older sister."_ He was too confused to answer, so instead he just followed along as they led him to the palace. They stopped at a door and he was told to wait for a few minutes. He did so nervously. He was then led into what it turned out was a private audience chamber where a woman dressed like a pegasus knight was waiting with the Exalt. Up close he thought the Exalt was even more stunning than she was from a distance. Instinctively he dropped to one knee and bowed his head.

" _Your Grace. It is an honor to be allowed to meet you."_ He heard a laugh that could only have come from her. It was as beautiful as she was. He didn't realize it at the time, but as soon as he heard it he fell in love.

" _Please rise, Robin. You've no need to be so formal."_ Awkwardly he rose. He couldn't bring himself to look her in the eye, so he stared at her feet instead. " _Chrom was just telling me about what you've done for him in the short time since you met. I must thank you for your assistance. Do you intend to remain here in Ylisstol?"_

" _Oh! Well...I thought that I would keep helping Chrom if he needs me. I...owe him my life, after all."_

" _Then we would be happy to have you."_

" _Thank you, Your Grace."_

" _Please, call me Emmeryn."_

" _I...that's a little too familiar, milady. Forgive me."_ She had laughed again. It didn't make him feel ashamed or embarrassed, it just put him at ease.

" _Very well, Robin. Thank you once again. Sadly, I must speak to my brother privately. I'm sure we will meet again."_ He nodded.

" _Thank you, milady. If you'll excuse me._ " Lissa took him by the hand and led him to the barracks. It took all his effort not to drag his feet. He didn't want to leave.

* * *

"I've never heard of her being like that," said Cordelia. "Everyone in the knights...we all knew her as the Exalt. She was always so calm and reserved. I never heard of her laughing even once."

"It was nearly the first thing she did when she met me. I always wondered after that if it was something reserved for people she was close to or if it was how she always acted. I guess you've answered that."

"But you said she acted like that as soon as she met you. You weren't close."

"I know," he said as he shifted his weight. His eyelids were getting a little heavy. "It always made me wonder if...if maybe she felt something for me. But I never had the courage to say anything. How could I? She was the Exalt." Cordelia kissed him tenderly. They had shared their troubles before and they knew how to make each other feel better.

"I know what you mean," she said. "I wondered all the time what would have happened if I had ever even been able to speak to Chrom. Maybe...things would have been different. I know that what happened to you is worse, but still, I know what you're going through."

"Yeah. And now you know why...I can never get serious. Why this can never be anything more than what it is."

"We're lying in bed and discussing matters of the heart. I'd say it's pretty serious already."

"Maybe," he said. He ran a hand through her hair and gave her a kiss. It was almost a reflex for him. "But still, you know what I mean."

"Robin, you...you helped me get over Chrom. Maybe I can help you move past Emmeryn. Maybe we should make this...a real relationship. I do like you and I wouldn't mind it."

"I don't know," he said. "I've always thought that you deserve a man who can give you his whole heart. I...can't. I just...can't."

"Then we don't work out and we go our separate ways. But maybe we do. Maybe you move on. I care about you and you make me happy. Maybe I can do the same for you. You're a good man and you deserve some happiness."

"You do make me happy," he said, "every time we're together."

"Do I? Or do I just distract you from the pain?"

"...I...don't know." He paused to think for a minute. "...Fine. Let's try it."

"Really?"

"Yeah. We don't have to announce it or anything, but...I'm willing to try making this official." She kissed him happily. He ran a hand through her hair again. It was, he thought, rather lovely hair. He thought it often, but now he felt like he was experiencing it for the first time. It was so soft and silky. He had no idea how she got that much hair under control, but he wasn't going to complain. It was, like the rest of her, beautiful. He gave her a kiss with as much passion as he could muster behind it.

"Can we...celebrate?" she whispered into his ear.

"...Once. And we have to be quiet. I mean it. Just once."

"Fine. Just once."

* * *

"Storm," said Robin. "Looks too severe to try to push through it."

"We can't turn around," said Chrom. "It would cost us too much time."

"I know. We have to go further out to sea and try to sail around it."

"I agree. Let's spread the word." The two of them informed the crew and the other soldiers of their intention to try to evade the storm. The captain of the boat was already in the process of trying to evade it by the time Robin and Chrom reached him. His intention was to turn around, but they cajoled him into going further out to sea to try to get around it. Robin knew it was a possibly dangerous choice, but they needed to reach Walhart's castle as soon as they could. The longer they let him prepare the more dangerous he would be.

The captain and his crew turned the ship out to try to ride around the storm. As they did they saw a waterspout touch down a mile away. Robin forced the captain to keep going to get around it. The captain was one of the rebels and Robin trusted him and his crew after his efforts in the war's opening battle. For a moment it looked like they would succeed in navigating around the storm, but as they sailed past it to the east the winds changed. The sails couldn't take them away from the storm fast enough to get them clear. They were in trouble.

The captain turned the boat south. It was away from their destination, but it was also away from the storm. The edges of the pounding rain began to land on the stern of the ship. The captain started barking orders to everyone who was still up on deck. The Shepherds all rushed for the various ways below while Robin, Chrom, and a skeleton crew stayed on the deck to deal with the incoming water. A rumble of thunder sounded in the distance. The storm began to overtake the ship. Robin put a hand to his forehead to keep the water out of his eyes and he started to shout over the noise.

"What do we do now?"

"We can't go back!" yelled the captain. "Storm's in our path!"

"If there's lightning we can't afford to ride it out!" called Chrom.

"I know of a small island to the southeast!" said the captain. "We might be able to take shelter there!"

"Do it!" yelled Robin. The captain shouted to his crew and spun the wheel in the appropriate direction. The shipped turned laboriously against the wind and rain. More thunder rumbled as they came about. The waterspout, Robin noticed, wasn't headed their way. That was small comfort, but it was still comfort.

Wind nearly knocked Robin off his feet. He grabbed a railing to steady himself as the rain started to soak him to the bone. Thunder rumbled again. It sounded like it was getting closer.

"Faster!" shouted the captain. One of the crew ran below deck to relay his message to the oarsmen. Robin felt the ship pick up speed. What felt like hours passed as they desperately tried to get out of the storm. It wasn't letting up. If anything it seemed to be expanding.

Their luck ran out. Lightning struck the one of the masts and it cracked in half. The only consolation was that none of the crew were on it when it collapsed. It smashed into the deck and destroyed a chunk of railing. It bit into the top of the hull and fell off into the sea. The captain barked out more orders and the oarsmen pushed even harder. Robin looked around to see if there was still lightning, but it never came. The rain never let up and the wind continued to howl, but they weren't hit again.

Hours later they limped into the dock of the island the captain had talked about. The port was small, with only enough room for maybe two ships. Robin breathed a prayer of thanks for the sight even as he kicked himself for putting them in their current situation. They moored the ship and he ran below deck. Chrom was a step behind him. They gathered in the mess hall to explain the situation.

"One of the masts was completely destroyed by the storm," said Robin. "The captain thinks he might be able to get suitable lumber as a replacement here in the village, but it will take at least a full day to repair it. Until then we should disembark and see if anyone around here needs our help. This is a small village and should have been unaffected by the war, but there's no guarantee that Walhart didn't send troops to occupy it. Understood?" There was a chorus of agreement. "Good. The rain has mostly cleared up by now, so you should all be alright to go now. Dismissed."

Robin turned to leave and made his way back to the men's quarters where his clothes were stored. He traded out his waterlogged clothes for a fresh set and made his way off the ship and into the village. There he met up with Cordelia who offered him her hand. He took it as they started walking around the village. The captain was right, it was small. It looked like it might have been home to a hundred people at most. They were probably subsistence farmers who might possibly have traded something with the outside if there were valuable trees or animals anywhere on the island.

"I feel like a fool," he said without preamble.

"Don't," she said. "It's not your fault. You couldn't have predicted a storm like that."

"I know," he said, "but it was my call. And now we're even further behind schedule than we would have been if we had tried to fight through Walhart's forces."

"Everyone makes mistakes," she said. "Isn't that what you always tell me?" He laughed. It was maybe a little hollow.

"I do say that, don't I? I guess I just consider my mistakes more serious than other people's because I have so much more responsibility." She squeezed his hand and leaned into him.

"You can't think like that. We're all here to bear you up when you make mistakes." She kissed his cheek. "Especially me." He laughed again. This time it was more genuine.

"Have I ever told you how wonderful you are?" It was her turn to laugh.

"A few times, although the context is usually a little different." He was forced to stop walking as he doubled over with laughter. She stopped and laughed with him. It felt good. He felt like he hadn't laughed in quite a while.

Once they had calmed down they started walking again as they discussed their lives. Robin, for the first time in months, was actually excited about the thought of his future. He liked Cordelia a lot. He even loved her in a way and he even—just for the briefest moment—allowed himself to think that it was possible that he could fall in love with her.

Their good time was interrupted by the voice of Lissa calling out to them. She came running up behind them and doubled over. She took a few seconds to catch her breath before she started chattering away.

"Guys, some of the villagers told us that a young woman they've been taking care of wandered off into the mountains outside the village where some of Walhart's soldiers have been training. They're worried she might be in trouble."

"Walhart has soldiers here? Why didn't they attack us when we arrived? And why don't they attack the village?"

"The elder says that the soldiers leave them alone as long as they pay tribute, but the woman doesn't know that. They say she's not in her right mind. Robin, we need to go help," said Lissa. He took a glance at Cordelia who nodded. It was what he expected her to do.

"Lead the way," he said. They walked back to the center of the village where Chrom was beginning to gather the troops. He called Robin over and the three of them joined the meeting.

"We don't have a lot of time," said Chrom. "The village elder said that the woman wandered off less than an hour ago, but there's no telling how far away she is. Robin, he said she has no memory. They don't even know her name. All they can tell us is that she's a little taller than Lissa and she's blond.

"Then let's get moving," said Robin. He pointed to Panne. "Panne, go scout out the enemy. Be quick and quiet, and if you see the girl, get her to safety." She nodded, shifted into her beast form, and bolted away. "Everyone else gather up and get into formation. Get ready to fight. Pass along the word to anyone who isn't here yet and let's move." There was a chorus of assent as the soldiers prepared for battle. By the time everyone was fully ready to move, Panne had returned. She reported that there were about a hundred soldiers in the camp and they weren't ready for a fight. She also said that she hadn't seen the girl anywhere.

Robin began giving directions to the troops. Based on what Panne told him about the layout of the camp he knew he could have a flanking unit ready. They outnumbered Walhart's soldiers and he thought that as long as they had the element of surprise they would likely be able to rout the enemy without issue.

Within twenty minutes they were on the move. Their target wasn't far outside the village and Robin knew they would get there quickly. He prayed the missing girl was still safe. They didn't see anyone who matched her description on the way to where they were going. He wasn't sure if that was a good sign or not, but it didn't encourage him.

The camp came into view. There were a handful of guards who noticed the advancing soldiers right away. That was exactly what Robin wanted to happen, of course. Shouts went up from the camp as the guards demanded the strangers identify themselves. Chrom shouted out his name and purpose and the enemy scrambled to get their weapons ready to attack. Robin called a charge and the troops rushed forward. The enemy was still gathering themselves up and the numbers were almost even, so the Shepherds had an immediate advantage. The guards were overrun before they could even form up with one another.

The battle was joined as the front of the Shepherd's ranks crashed into the disorganized enemy. Robin watched as Chrom and Lucina each struck down a soldier in front of them, then added some magic of his own. It found purchase in a nearby soldier before he could even raise his shield. Robin barked out orders as the enemy started to organize. The battle was heavily in their favor, especially now that they were gaining the numbers advantage. It looked like it would be an easy rout until one of Walhart's soldiers emerged from a tent with a young woman.

"Oi!" he shouted. "Weapons down or the girl dies!" Robin didn't hear the shout at first and barked out movement orders to a few people before the man shouted again. This time his attention was drawn to where the soldier was standing and he dropped his hand to his side. All around him the fighting slowed as other people started to notice what was going on. Robin's troops dropped back to prevent themselves from being attacked, but they stopped fighting.

"Let her go," said Chrom. Robin looked around quickly to take stock of what the battle looked like. The enemy had lost nearly half their number and, as far as Robin could tell, his own soldiers only had injuries. He didn't see any dead soldiers with Ylissean crests.

"What, and let you keep fighting? Don't think so," said the soldier. From his armor Robin guessed that he was in charge. It was much more ornate than the rest of the soldiers'. "No, we're gonna take her and we're gonna leave. And you're gonna let us go the whole way to the docks without doing a damn thing. Understand?" Robin clenched his fists but knew that there was nothing he could do.

Yet.

"What makes you think we care about the girl?" said Robin. He tried to put on his best dismissive tone, but Chrom immediately gave him away with his look of surprise.

"Oh please," said the Captain, "don't insult my intelligence. You ain't here for no reason. You're here for her." He shook her and Robin heard her whimper in fear. It made his blood boil. He wanted to walk over and beat the Captain to death with his bare hands for threatening an innocent like that, but he couldn't. He had to stay calm. He had to buy time and get her even a few inches away from him.

"We already got paid," said Robin. "Means the same to me either way." He had to make the man falter. Just for a moment.

"What did I jus' say?" said the Captain. "I know who you are. Ain't no man around who doesn't recognize the Brand that one's got." He motioned to Chrom. "I know who you are. You know who we are. Stop playin' games and stay there while we walk away." Robin dropped his hands to his sides in apparent defeat.

"Fine," he said, "take your men and go."

"Good," said the Captain. His men gathered around him and they started walking past the Shepherds. What the Captain didn't realize was that Robin had fought as close to the tree line as possible for a reason. It forced the Captain and his men to go around the other side of the Shepherds which meant that their backs were to the trees on the opposite end of the battlefield.

"Captain," Robin said as the man passed. He was marching the woman in front of him at sword point.

"What?" asked the Captain. He was about twenty feet from Robin in the center of his men.

"Catch." Robin flung his tome towards the Captain. The Captain turned to bat it away with his sword. It wasn't difficult. Robin hadn't thrown it particularly hard. But it was enough. His sword wasn't towards the girl.

"What the he—" The Captain's words were cut off as an arrow emerged from the back of his neck. Several of his men were his as well and Robin's troops knew it was their signal to attack. Robin knew it was a dangerous tactic to have his archers fire towards his own troops, but he trusted them and, as far as he could tell, his trust had paid off.

In the confusion brought about by the volley of arrows, the Shepherds charged. They had a strong numbers advantage, so Robin chose to ignore the fighting. He ran forward straight for the woman, who had fallen to her knees. To his eyes she didn't appear hurt, but she was shaking in obvious fear. He knelt down in front of her and wrapped his arms around her to shield her with his body. She started to whimper.

"Calm down," he whispered, "I'm here to save you. Shh. I'm gonna get you out of here, but you need to come with me." He stood and brought her with him. She didn't resist. He reached out and took her hand. She stiffened a little, but didn't pull her hand away. He noticed idly that her hand was small and soft and just a little bit cold.

Robin looked around and saw that the battle was heavily in the Shepherds' favor and the enemy had no one to even look their way. He started running away from the center of the battlefield towards the trees. The battle raged on around them as he ran to the allied lines. Only one soldier was able to look their way, but he was swiftly cut down by an Ylissean soldier.

Robin and the woman reached the lines and retreated through to the safety of the allied ranks. He sat her down on a rock and shielded her with his body again. He doubted that the enemy could reach them, but just in case he wanted to make sure there was armor between her and any enemy weapons.

"You're safe now," he said as gently as he could. "I'm not going to let them hurt you." She shuddered, but nodded slightly, or at least that's what it seemed like to him. He was going to remove the sack from her head as soon as possible, but he wanted to make sure that the battle was over before he risked moving his arms.

Gradually, after what felt to him like hours, the shouting and crashing quieted. He chanced a look behind him and saw that the enemy had been slain to a man. He finally relaxed his embrace of the woman. She was still whimpering slightly in fear, but she wasn't shivering anymore. He helped her to her feet.

"You're safe," he said more gently. "I'm going to take the sack off of your head, okay? Just be calm." She nodded slightly. He reached up, gripped a loose corner of the sack, and pulled it off her head.

He stumbled backwards a few steps in shock. He blinked and rubbed his eyes, then looked back at her. It couldn't be. It _couldn't be_. It was impossible. She was dead. He had watched her die. He had _been there_. He had been less that _ten feet away_. It was literally impossible.

But there she stood. It was her. It had to be her. There was no other possibility.

No other woman had the Brand of the Exalt on her forehead.

"Ch-Chrom!" Robin stammered out. It was all he could manage in his surprise. The woman blinked and tilted her head. He heard running behind him.

"What is it? Is she hurt? Why do you sound so—by all the gods above!" said Chrom. He was even more shocked than Robin. Robin heard noises from behind them, but he couldn't focus on them. He heard Chrom call out to Lissa as the woman began to look distressed.

"What's the matter? Does she need—my gods, it...it c-can't be..." said Lissa. She stepped a little closer. "Emm...Emmeryn? Is that...no, no, it can't...is that...really you?" The woman—Emmeryn—tilted her head the other way as she looked at Lissa.

"Emm...eryn? Is that...my name?" Robin felt his heart fall into his shoes. He had known, of course, that this was coming, but it wasn't any easier for it. Lissa started to tear up.

"Oh...oh gods, Emm," said Lissa. "I...I can't believe it's really you." She ran forward and embraced Emmeryn, who stiffened in surprise. "Oh, Emm...we thought you were dead. I can't believe you're back. How did you survive? How did you get here? You have to tell me everything."

"Ah...I...I can't..."

"Lissa," said Robin, "let her go. You're scaring her." His voice was tight and choked. Lissa reluctantly released her hold on Emmeryn.

"Emm...what happened to you?" asked Chrom. He shook his head as she looked perplexed. "Never mind. Emm, it's...it's Chrom. I'm...your brother."

"Bro...ther?"

"Yeah Emm, he's your brother and I...I'm your sister. We...missed you so much."

"Don't...cry..." Emmeryn reached out and placed a hand on Lissa's shoulder. "Please..." Lissa's tears stopped almost immediately.

"What should we do, Chrom?" asked Robin. "We're fighting a war, but...but I don't want to just leave her here."

"Lissa, stay with her," said Chrom. He looked at Robin and nodded. They walked a distance away while the other Shepherds started to realize what was going on. "I want to take her with us," he said once they were alone.

"I agree," Robin said quickly, "but I'm worried that it would be dangerous."

"It would," said Chrom, "but...Robin, I want my sister back. I...missed her so much. Even if she can't remember anything...I want her back."

"Then let's see if she'll agree," said Robin. He, naturally, wanted her to come with them as well for his own reasons. He glanced her way and saw that there was a small crowd gathered around her including—and his heart sank at the sight—Cordelia. Gods, Cordelia. They had only just officially decided to be together and now...this. He had no idea what to do.

But then, he realized, she had no memory. She hardly even seemed herself. When she spoke her words were halted and uneven, like a child just learning to speak. Would it even be proper? Was she truly able to understand? And of course he had never known how she felt about him. It was entirely possible there was never anything there. And even if there had been, what were the odds she would still feel that way about a man who she no doubt now considered a stranger?

Robin looked and saw that Chrom was already headed back towards the others. He realized that he must have faded out and stopped paying attention to Chrom. He gathered his thoughts and followed. His pace was slow and he realized that he didn't want to go back over to her, though he couldn't figure out why. Was it because he was too ashamed to see her like that? Was it because he was afraid she would reject him?

He reached the group and heard Chrom talking. He didn't listen to the man's words. He was too focused on her. She looked confused and overwhelmed. He wanted to run to her. To put his arms around her. To tell her that he was here and he would keep her safe. To pull her away from the crowd that was talking to her so that he could have time alone with her.

He pushed those thoughts to one side. He couldn't do that. It wouldn't be right. He couldn't take advantage of her confusion like that. She wasn't herself. She was hurt and she was scared. He needed to be gentle, but...gods, she was alive. She was _alive._ It hardly seemed real.

"I...will go..." she told Chrom. "You are...family..." Chrom didn't cry, but he came closer than he ever had in the time Robin had known him. He offered Emmeryn an arm. She took it and they started walking slowly as Robin felt a brief surge of jealousy. He pushed that away as well as he watched them leave. Before he knew it all the Shepherds had walked away. All but one.

"I'm here if you need to talk, Robin," said Cordelia as she slipped an arm around his waist. He shook his head.

"What can I say? She's...she's barely herself. And now you and I are...gods, I'm sorry." He hugged her. "This is...a lot to take in," he said. He felt her shift her weight to get closer.

"I can't even imagine," she said. "Look, Robin, I'll tell you right now...whatever you decide, I'll respect it. Even if..."

"Don't talk like that," he said. "I'm with you. Even if she...you heard her. She doesn't remember a thing. I couldn't possibly...I would be taking advantage of her. I couldn't...I wouldn't...she doesn't deserve..." his voice trailed off.

"Let's just go back to the ship for now," she said. "We still have a war to fight and we can't wait around for too long. Just...Robin, I'm here for you. I hope you know that."

"I do," he said, "and you're right. I'm sorry, I let myself get distracted."

"You don't need to be sorry," she said. "The impossible just happened. All things considered, I think you're taking it as well as can be expected."

"Maybe," he said, "but for now, you're right. Let's go back. They'll be waiting." She let go of him and they walked hand-in-hand back to the village to wait for the ship to be repaired.

* * *

"I'm sorry, but she needs to rest," said Maribelle softly. "Everyone wants to speak to her. I can't make any exceptions. I haven't even let her family in."

"Maribelle, _please_ ," said Robin desperately. "Just...just for a few minutes. That's all I'm asking for. Just a few minutes, and then I'll leave."

"Robin, I really can't allow it."

" _Please,_ " he said. He didn't quite fall to his knees, but he conveyed the message. Maribelle blinked in surprise as she understood his feelings.

"Wait, do you...gods above, Robin, you should have said something."

"I've only ever told one person," he said. "This is...my most closely guarded secret. You have to swear not to say a word." She blinked, but nodded.

"I can't believe I never noticed...fine. I'll give you a few minutes. That's it." He sighed in relief and nodded.

"Thank you so much," he said before giving her a hug on reflex. "Thank you."

"Make haste," she said gently, "I can't let you stay long." Despite the words she gave him a small squeeze. He let go of her and pushed the door of the cabin open. He lingered for a moment in the doorway as he gathered his courage. He walked in.

Emmeryn was sitting on a chair looking at a map. He had no idea if she was capable of reading it or not. He hoped she could. He hoped it was helping her remember something. He felt an ache in his chest as he looked at her. He nearly ran out of the room, but his legs didn't respond. It was her. It was really her. She had come back. He had no idea how, but she had come back.

"Your Grace?" he heard himself say as the door shut behind him. She glanced his way and smiled. It was a small smile, but it made his heart race. "Is...is this a good time?"

"Yes..." she said. The ache in his chest redoubled. She sounded so lost. He wanted to run to her and hold her close. He wanted to promise her that he would be by her side until she was healed so they could be together forever, but his legs wouldn't obey him.

"Do you need me to bring you anything?" he asked. "Food? Water? Do you need a blanket? Are you cold? I can lend you my cloak." He thought it was a little chilly below decks, especially with the winds still blowing outside.

"No...I'm...fine," she said.

"Are you sure? I really don't mind."

"Yes. But...thank you. You're...very kind."

"Well you...forgive me if this sounds too forward of me, but you...you were...an important part of my life...before." He shifted his weight back and forth. "You always inspired me and I...I respected you a great deal." He suddenly found himself unable to stop talking. "Even when we went to war and you told Chrom that you didn't want him to do it, I found myself wanting to avoid fighting just for your sake. Just because you asked for it. Even as we were fighting I found myself wanting to end the war as quickly as possible just because you asked for it. Your Grace...I mean...milady...I...I'm sorry."

"I...don't...understand..." she shook her head and looked confused. Robin felt his stomach drop and the pain in his chest became more intense.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I should have realized...I know you're not well and this all must be overwhelming for you. Please forgive me. I should let you get some rest." He began to turn to leave.

"No..." he stopped. "It's...alright. Thank...thank you. You're...very kind." It didn't even matter to him that she had already said it. He had been allowed to hear it again.

"You...honor me, milady," he said. He heard a knock at the door. "I'm sorry. I need to go now. If you'd like, I'll...come see you again." She smiled again. It was just as small as the previous one, but it was there.

"I...would...like that." He smiled back.

"Then I'll...see you soon. Sleep well, milady."

"You...too." He turned and left the room. Maribelle entered as soon as he had left. He wanted to stop her to see if she could do something about the pain in his chest. He decided against it. Emmeryn's welfare was more important than his. Instead he walked away until he found a solitary corner of the ship. He leaned against a wall and felt the boat gently rock back and forth on the waves.

It was really her. She had...she had survived. It was impossible, but it had happened. He shook his head. She was so...broken. He couldn't allow himself to even consider it. She wasn't in her right mind. What kind of man would he be if he tried to take advantage of her? And Cordelia...gods, he had forgotten. He was with Cordelia now. But what was he supposed to do? He had already known it would be hard to give her his heart and now...now she was still alive. Now it would be impossible.

He sank down to the floor and put his head in his hands. It was, he thought, almost worse now than it had been. Death was at least a part of life. But this...this was something different. This was...he had no idea. He felt his eyes start to get wet as he sat in silence, focused on the pain in his chest.

"Robin, is that you?" He looked up and blinked away his tears. It was...Tiki. He had no idea what she was doing in this corner of the ship. "What troubles you so?" He shook his head.

"It's..." his throat was too tight to finish.

"May I sit next to you?" He nodded and she did. "Given the timing, I assume that your troubles in some way relate to the woman we rescued yesterday." He nodded again. "I have heard that you and your comrades thought her dead." Another nod. "I assume then that you, since you are reacting in this way, loved her and are pained at seeing her in such a state." He looked over at her and blinked. She had seen right through him.

"Y-yes," he said.

"You have no need to be surprised," she said gently. "I am thousands of years old. Age has brought experience which has brought insight. Your secret is safe with me."

"Th-thank you," he managed.

"I have known the pain of loss," she said, "do not be ashamed to feel as you do. Perhaps we are only just acquainted, but please, lean on me if you feel the need." Nervously he allowed his head to fall against her shoulder. She put an arm around him. He found it very comforting.

"Thank you again," he said.

"Should you need to confide in me I will listen to you. I feel a connection to you. I would be happy to assist you in any way you need." He couldn't speak, so he grunted in affirmation. "Robin, do not feel the need to restrain yourself."

At her invitation, he closed his eyes and wept.


End file.
